IISc students’ designs cause ‘ripples’
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At the annual design exposition - Ripples - students of the Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing (CPDM), IISc showcased their creative best. The event was held in the City on Friday and Saturday.
Of the many innovations, ‘Surajjal’, a portable pumping device run by solar energy, grabbed many eyeballs.
Aesthetically appealing, the device is a dream come true for those who want to own their own pumping system, said Harrangad Singh Bhalla, one of its creators. The two-man team has been approached by a company about the possibilities of developing the device further.
Gagandeep’s ‘Aarushi’ is a result of his experience in a school for the blind. It is an interactive means of teaching English alphabets to the blind using mechanical encoding and sounds. “Normally under the Indian methods of teaching the blind, it would take an average of seven years to learn English alphabets. My device would reduce the time gap and students can learn in a year,” said Gagandeep. He hopes that his device will attract many entrepreneurs to reach it to the needy, especially in the remote areas.
A fancy name like ‘Sewer Bot’ attracted many. The device can solve the problems of blocked sewers – big or small - through automated means. Shaped like a remote-controlled car, it employs the drill mechanism and a powerful grip system. “We have to develop it further and make it more robust,” said Tojo Thomas, one of its creators.
Innovative
Other devices like the ‘Bin Boy’ have to be appreciated for their simplicity of purpose and effectiveness. The device can compress garbage to a fraction of its original size. Then there is the ‘Purak-Articulated Arm’ which according to its creators performs almost the same function of a bionic arm costing nearly Rs three lakh, at quarter the price. Many prominent industry experts like Jagannath Raju, Director and Co-founder, Systematics, Bangalore and Dr Suresh Nagesh, Managing Director of Voith India Ltd, spoke at the event. “My students put up a good exhibition every year. There are, however, many challenges and hurdles ahead. We should be able to meet the international standards”, said Anindya Deb, Head of the Department.
